The Jays start playing games for real today as they kick off a three-game set at Tropicana Field. The Advance Scout, however, won't begin "for real" until the Jays' home opener this Friday.

For new readers to Batter's Box, the Advance Scout reports have offered a bullet-point series of notes to help Bauxites prepare for the Jays' upcoming opponents. Traditionally, this has meant a mix of local-media accounts, statistical trends of key players, and a breakdown of team lineups.

The new Advance Scout, to be launched on Friday, will get away from this format. I'll still canvass the local media for stories of interest, but armed with MLB Extra Innings and MLB All-Access, I'll try to actually scout the opponents. The content will hopefully come across as fresher and more original; I'll try to figure out what pitches Aubrey Huff tends to chase, and whether Mark Bellhorn goes in the hole or up the middle effectively at second base.

Since this is the first series of the season, there's nothing to have scouted for the D-Rays. The Rays are several centrefielders shy this week, with Rocco Baldelli on the shelf and Alex Sanchez the first player in baseball history to have run afoul of an MLB steroid-testing program. Dewon Brazelton, a first-round pick of the Rays, gets the ball today on Opening Day.

So stay tuned for the new Advance Scout, coming Friday!

Probable Starting Lineups

vs. LH

7 Crawford
8 Singleton
9 Huff
DH Phelps
3 Lee
6 Lugo
4 Cantu
2 Hall
5 Gonzalez

vs. RH

7 Crawford
8 Singleton
9 Huff
3 Lee
6 Lugo
DH Phelps
4 Cantu
2 Hall
5 Gonzalez

Pitching Probables

Monday: RH Brazelton vs. Halladay
Tuesday: LH Kazmir vs. Chacin
Wednesday: LH Hendrickson vs. Towers

Bullpen Usage

Long:Fossum L, McClung R
Short:Colome R, Harper R
Setup:Carter R, Miller L
Closer:Baez R